Cayuga Community College is taking part in the fourth annual "Cayuga Reads" project with a series of public events in October and November.

This year's book selection, the novel Pay It Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde, will be featured in discussion groups and a film screening at the college's Auburn and Fulton campuses. Copies of the book are available at both campus libraries.

"Cayuga Reads" is an annual community reading program that invites people throughout the county to meet for group discussions about a selected book. Designed to promote reading, encourage conversation, and strengthen community ties, "Cayuga Reads" began in 2006 as a project of library staff and educators across Cayuga County. Cayuga Community College has been a co-sponsor each year; other sponsors are the Auburn Enlarged City School District, Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES and Seymour Library.

Pay It Forward tells the story of 12-year-old Trevor McKinney. Facing serious problems at home, Trevor is inspired by a new social studies teacher at his school. He tackles an extra-credit assignment to "think of an idea for world change, and put it into action." Trevor decides to do a good deed for three people, and in exchange ask each of them to "pay it forward" to three others, without accepting any reward. His efforts seem to teach him more about human weakness than hope, yet once the chain of kindness is started, it grows in unexpected ways. The 2000 feature film Pay It Forward, starring Haley Joel Osment, Helen Hunt and Kevin Spacey, was adapted from the novel.

Information is available from the college library at 315-255-1743, extension 2299 or 3017. All events are free and open to the public. Information about the community-wide "Cayuga Reads" schedule is at www.cayugareads.org.